startling
adjective
star·tling
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈstärt-liŋ
: causing momentary fright, surprise, or astonishment
a startling discovery
startlingly
adverb
Examples of startling in a Sentence
Startling new evidence came to light during the trial.
He made a startling discovery.
It is a city of startling contrasts.
Recent Examples on the Web
When consumed, the body breaks down the compound into psilocin, an alkaloid that can cause startling visual hallucinations and psychological effects, often including intense introspection.
—
Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
The Big Bang theory only rose to true prominence in the 1940s, when it was recognized that such an idea would make a startling set of predictions.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Robots that are startling or distracting, and that confuse or intimidate the average passerby, risk doing more harm than good.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Now a 23-year-old rookie in the WNBA, the financial transition was startling; five years ago, Bueckers didn’t even have a bank account.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
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Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
The Big Bang theory only rose to true prominence in the 1940s, when it was recognized that such an idea would make a startling set of predictions.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Robots that are startling or distracting, and that confuse or intimidate the average passerby, risk doing more harm than good.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Now a 23-year-old rookie in the WNBA, the financial transition was startling; five years ago, Bueckers didn’t even have a bank account.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
Cite this Entry
“Startling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startling. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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